People assume that since I'm an English teacher I'm always on the look out for grammatical errors. In fact, an acquaintance recently confessed that he was scared to email me for fear that I would judge his language.
I'm usually amused when I get placed in the role of grammar cop because, as some of you know(yes, you know who you are), I can be a little footloose with grammar and spelling (am I the only teacher that wishes that whiteboards came with a spell check function?).
Today though I finally did it. I succumbed to the stereotype of the English teacher cop and asked a colleague about a phrase I hear him say all the time. Whenever we eat together he invites everyone to "eat some munchkins". I find his invitation to eat munchkins amusing in macabre kind of way as the only thing that comes to my mind is a group of us munching on children (mmmmmmmm...tasty). I asked him if he used the phrase as a joke, and he said he didn't but that in Caribbean English munchkins was a word used for food.
This is why I love English. It's great to speak the same language and have no idea what the other person is saying.
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3 comments:
Munchkins, beware! Here comes Julie the grammar/spelling cop!...teehehee...strikes the fear of grammar/spelling into people!
haha, I love your post! That is a funny misunderstanding. I am getting used to all the weird things my students say and sometimes it shocks me until I find out what they REALLY mean.
Doris: You know I was refering to you when I mentioned that I have no right being a grammar cop. SherbeRt!
Tiffany: Kids naturally say funny things so you must have double the amusement with Saipan English. Btw, I'm enjoying the student quotes you leave on FB.
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